January 13, 2022
As a healthcare professional, there are many ways to advance your career. You might get a coveted leadership position where you're in charge of more patients, or you might become a mentor to help other nurses in their caregiver journey. If you aren't sure how to proceed toward your nursing career goals, use this list of steps to help you get that promotion and take your career to the next level.
1. Get an MSN, DNP, or PhD
There are several advanced degrees you can pursue to open yourself up to new opportunities.
MSN
One common post-graduate degree is a master of science in nursing (MSN). An MSN is essential if you want to get into nurse education or administration or become an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). Most programs offer you the option to specialize your curriculum in one of these areas to help you better prepare for your future.
DNP
Once you've achieved your MSN, you can go even further in your education. For example, you can earn a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree if you want the ability to lead the way in healthcare systems and work toward establishing yourself in an advanced practice role.
Ph.D.
Want to keep learning, but not necessarily interested in working directly with patients? A nursing Ph.D. is an alternate doctorate path for nurses who are more interested in research and advancing the nursing field.
2. Specialize in a Niche
If you work toward getting certification in a specialty field, you can boost your earnings and make a bigger difference in patients' lives. There are tons of things you can specialize in depending on your interests and experience. Most will require additional education, but the benefits to your professional life will be more than worth it. Here are just a few to consider:
- Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP) — Allows you to provide care independently for health education, disease prevention, health promotion, and the diagnosis/management of a disease.
- Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) — Allows you to provide care in a clinical setting to assist communities, groups, families, and individuals.
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) — Allows you to provide anesthesia-related care for patients in a surgical setting.
- Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) — Allows you to assist women with gynecological care, childbirth, family planning, prenatal and postnatal care, and caring for a newborn.
- Critical Care Nurse (CCRN) — Allows you to assist both adults and pediatric patients in critical care situations.
- Cardiac Surgery (CSC) — Allows you to provide direct care to cardiac surgery patients in the first 48 hours after their operation.
There are plenty more specialties out there, so do your research to see what might be of interest to you.
3. Find a Mentor to Help
If you're not sure where to start with higher education or certification, a nursing mentor can help you immensely. Ideally, they'll be a seasoned nursing veteran who has a good handle on the nursing landscape. They can help point you in the right direction when it comes to career options, offer advice on how to avoid burnout, and even provide you with networking opportunities if you want to meet nurses in a specific field.
How do you find a nurse mentor? Chances are that your employer might have a program. Your school might also have a nursing network you can reach out to. If all that fails, then you may consider joining a professional nursing organization.
4. Join a Professional Nursing Organization
As we hinted above, joining a professional nursing organization can help you network and find a mentor to guide you through tricky career options. But they can also offer so much more than that.
Members of professional nursing organizations can receive specialized assistance when it comes to their chosen career niche. This might come in the form of continuing education opportunities or conference invites. More importantly, many of these organizations require you to become a member if you want to pursue their specialization. So not only will this organization provide you networking benefits, but it will also give you credibility as your career progresses.
Some of the more popular nursing organizations include:
- American Academy of Nursing
- American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
- American Nurses Association
- American Association of Neuroscience Nurses
- Emergency Nursing Association.
5. Seek Out Management Training
If your goal is to get into nurse management, you'll need to get experience before you're handed a new role. That's easier said than done, especially if you're new to the scene. However, we all have to start somewhere, so take it upon yourself to find management training.
If you're lucky, the facility or hospital where you work will have a training program to help you adjust. If not, you can take an online class in management to up your skills. Curate a list of management books to read in your spare time. Listen to the industry-leading management experts to get all the tips and tricks of keeping workers thriving and productive.
One Final Tip for Nursing Career Advancement
When you put all these steps into practice, you'll be well on your way to a bright future in healthcare. But if you'd like one more bonus tip, consider dressing the part. After all, looking professional in nursing attire will impress your superiors and give them more confidence in your abilities. Check out the comfortable, functional, and fashion-forward medical wear we has to offer for nurses and other healthcare professionals today.